The University of Ottawa and its Senate, from the eyes of students

U of O Refuses to Reimburse Student Senator for Legal Fees to Protect Reputation from Defamation by Vice-Dean

On December 6, 2011, I submitted a request to President Allan Rock for reimbursement for legal fees incurred in my legal action to protect my reputation from defamation by Vice-Dean of Arts, Denis Bachand at the October 5, 2011 and November 7, 2011 meetings of the University of Ottawa Senate.

On December 22, 2011, the University informed me that it is refusing to provide me with legal funding to protect my reputation as a student member of Senate from defamation by a Vice-Dean and Professor, who yelled out that I was “sick in the head” when I defended the Senate’s Policy on Video Recording at the October 5, 2011 Senate meeting.

I guess a student senator couldn’t possibly being doing anything good for the university, even while a student IS working on behalf of that University? Or perhaps a student senator’s reputation couldn’t be possibly as valued as a professor’s, so isn’t worth protecting? Or could it be that professorial senators are actually PAID, whereas student senators aren’t, as a result, the latter’s value isn’t worth protecting? Or maybe the lack of support is because someone isn’t kissing the feet – or the **&$ – of the elites? Or maybe it’s because a student senator wants to be recognized, heaven forbid, as a peer? Just remember “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” So perhaps we’re seeing some of this corruption in action? I think this may be another example of students not knowing their place within the institutional hiearchy – rock bottom? I’d love to be shown that all of these hypotheses or queries can be proven wrong. Again, these are just my opinions and questions, so please don’t bother suing me.